Nanny Chan’s Mild Curry Puffs

Nanny Chan’s Mild Curry Puffs with a delicous mild spiced filling of ground meat wrapped in a flaky pastry. Great as a snack, appetizer or party food!

Nanny Chan’s Mild Curry Puffs are delicious! They’re easy to make, freezer friendly and great for parties and to take along to pot lucks, picnics, or have in lunchboxes. Serve as party food, appetizers or snacks when you’re watching Superbowl even!

When I was a child growing up in Hong Kong, my grandmother also lived with us. She would make the most delicious foods, and this recipe for Nanny Chan’s mild curry puffs is from her.
Although she is long gone now, her memory will live on, in many ways, one being through this delicious Mild Curry Puff Recipe.
The flavour is a gentle curry and coriander / cilantro flavour. It is not hot, nor is it particularly over spicy. The flavours are gentle and matched perfectly.As for the pastry, my Grandmother would make her own.
Of course, back in the day, there was no such thing as buying ready made let alone ready rolled pastry. You just made it yourself! In this recipe, I have made my own pastry, from my flaky pastry recipe. However, I have tried making these using shop bought Puff Pastry and it works well. So you have options to make or to buy!

So let’s get straight to the recipe and please enjoy Nanny Chan’s Mild Curry Puffs!

Ingredients:

The Pastry
I have used my own home made flaky pastry recipe. Don’t be frightened at the thought of making your own pastry! It’s a really simple recipe which you can find here. This amount of pastry will make you about 14 curry puffs.
If you have too much pastry, it will freeze nicely if wrapped in plastic wrap and a zip lock bag.
If you do decide to buy the pastry, I would suggest flaky or puff pastry, about a 225g / 8 oz pack.

1. First, if you are making your own pastry, do that and let it rest in the fridge for 30 minutes.

2. Prepare all the ingredients. Finely chop everything.

3. Add the vegetable oil to a pan, and cook the onions, garlic & ginger until soft and the onions are clear in colour. Do not brown them as you will end up with a bitter taste.

4. Add the curry powder and mix in well.

5. Add the ground beef and stir until cooked. Add the salt.

6. Add the sweetcorn and combine.

7. Take off heat and allow to cool. Say 20-30 minutes. if you try and add the filling on the pastry when it is hot, the pastry will melt!
When the filling has cooled, add the chopped coriander / cilantro.

8. Get your flaky pastry out of the fridge, roll the pastry out until 3-4 mm in thickness. You want to be able to cut roughly 12-14 pieces of 3 inch squares from your pastry.
Preheat your oven to 220C, Gas 7, 425F

9. Once rolled, use a sharp knife and cut squares, measuring 3 inches by 3 inches and place on a baking tray.

10. Use a spoon and place some filling in the middle of each square, be careful not to let any filling go on the edges.

***NOTE: At this point you can freeze and simply carry on with step 11 when you are ready to use. So perfect for those who wish to make ahead.

11. Brush the edges with some beaten egg.

12. Fold the pastry over and use the back of a fork to push along the edges to seal. Please note you can make whatever shapes you want!

13. Use a sharp knife or scissors to make a little cross on the tops of all the puffs (to let the steam out and keep the pastry crispy)

14. Brush all over with beaten egg

Some I made in different shapes!

15. Place in the oven for 15 minutes. or until golden brown.

When done, place on a cooling rack and eat when warm. They are nicer just warm than Piping hot!

tI have used my own home made flaky pastry recipe. Don' be frightened at the thought of making your own pastry! It's a really simple recipe which you can find here. This amount of pastry will make you about 14 curry puffs.

inIf you have too much pastryit will freeze nicely if wrapped plastic wrap and a zip lock bag.

ozIf you do decide to buy the pastryI would suggest flaky or puff pastry, about a 225g / 8 pack.

The Filling:

6ozor 1 cup or 150 g Ground Beef

Handful of sweetcorn

1/4Red & Green Chili peppermild ones

1cmthick ginger

2clovesgarlic

2teaspoonsMild Curry Powder

Handful of coriander / cilantro

1bay leafoptional

1small white onion

1/2teaspoonsalt

1eggfor egg wash

2teaspoonsvegetable oil

Instructions

1. First, if you are making your own pastry, do that and let it rest in the fridge for 30 minutes.

2. Prepare all the ingredients. Finely chop everything.

3. Add the vegetable oil to a pan, and cook the onions, garlic & ginger until soft and the onions are clear in colour. Do not brown them as you will end up with a bitter taste.

4. Add the curry powder and mix in well.

5. Add the ground beef and stir until cooked. Add the salt.

6. Add the sweetcorn and combine.

7. Take off heat and allow to cool. Say 20-30 minutes. if you try and add the filling on the pastry when it is hot, the pastry will melt!

When the filling has cooled, add the chopped coriander / cilantro.

8. Get your flaky pastry out of the fridge, roll the pastry out until 3-4 mm in thickness. You want to be able to cut roughly 12-14 pieces of 3 inch squares from your pastry.

Preheat your oven to 220C, Gas 7, 425F

9. Once rolled, use a sharp knife and cut squares, measuring 3 inches by 3 inches and place on a baking tray.

10. Use a spoon and place some filling in the middle of each square, be careful not to let any filling go on the edges.

11. Brush the edges with some beaten egg.

12. Fold the pastry over and use the back of a fork to push along the edges to seal. Please note you can make whatever shapes you want!

13. Use a sharp knife or scissors to make a little cross on the tops of all the puffs (to let the steam out and keep the pastry crispy)

14. Brush all over with beaten egg

15. Place in the oven for 15 minutes. or until golden brown.

When done, place on a cooling rack and eat when warm. They are nicer just warm than Piping hot!

This just popped up on my Pinterest feed and my mouth is watering. I am an old lady now, but my childhood was spent in India. My father was a civil engineer with the U.S. State Department and he built large hydroelectric dams. Because it takes years to complete projects like that, we didn’t keep moving like most families. India made a lasting imprint on my soul. These puffs look so delicious. They are on tomorrow’s menu. Thank you for posting this.

Hi Anastasia, I always make a batch for freezing and what I find best is to freeze them before baking, WITHOUT the egg wash, then when you are ready to bake, simply pop them on the baking sheet, brush with egg wash and then bake at the stated time. You can do them straight from frozen or defrost at room temperature. Either way will be absolutely fine. If you do decide you want to freeze AFTER baking, the only difference you will find is the pastry wont be as crisp so you can reheat in the oven to warm them through and get the pastry back to crispy, but the first option of freezing before baking is the best in my opinion!
Hope that helps, and please do enjoy!

I’m definitely going to make this recipe. I love that you can change up the ingredients to suit everyone’s preferences. A fun dish to get the kids helping and learning in the kitchen as well. Looking forward to making this!

Thanks Robyn! You can certainly swap the ingredients very well with this. Your kids will have fun! I used to help my gran make these, and I liked doing the bit with the fork at the end the most. I used to think that was like ‘magic’ haha!!